- 2 



Scoring 

 Recommended 



Ringing 



Not 



Recommended 



Fig. 1. Diagramatic illustration of trees that have been either scored 

 (left) or ringed (right). 



Scoring is done on young trees which are large enough to bear but have 

 failed to produce a crop and/or are excessively vigorous and are crowded for 

 space. Thus, scoring certainly does have a place in the modern orchard. 

 Scoring has an added advantage over chemical methods of tree control because 

 it can increase fruit set the year that it is done as well as reduce ter- 

 minal growth and increase flowering the following year. Scoring is normally 

 done in the spring shortly after bloom. Although precise timing is not cri- 

 tical, we recommend scoring when the terminal growth of shoots is about '4 

 inches long. Only one score or cut per tree is necessary and recommended. 

 Since no bark is removed, covering the wound with protectants such as 

 grafting compound or tape is not necessary. Scoring a tree once may be all 

 that is required, but scoring in subsequent years may be useful and 

 necessary, especially if trees are large and extremely vigorous. We empha- 

 size that scoring weak trees could severely retard growth for several years. 



It has been noted that bloom and fruit set on scored trees can be 

 reduced the second year following scoring. Most of the reduction is due to 

 the inhibitory effects of fruit on flower bud formation. Scoring does not 

 counteract the effects of fruit on flowering. However, it can reduce growth 

 thus converting unproductive vegetative growth into growth where flower buds 

 can form. 



Research Results with Scoring . Several methods to control growth and 

 maintain productivity in a block of very vigorous Red Prince De I ic ious/MMl 06 

 spaced '♦.2 x 6.3 m were applied annually for 3 years commencing in 1978 

 (Table 1): 1. light dormant pruning; 2. Corrective dormant pruning (CDP); 

 3. CDP + 1500 ppm AlarTl; A. CDP + scoring. Scoring had no influence 

 on either growth or fruit quality the first year. Scoring in subsequent 

 years reduced growth on CDP trees while increasing yield to a level com- 

 parable to that of lightly pruned trees (Table 2.). Alar" did not do this. 



